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After 3 years of building and pioneering experiences that make TV watching more social and more fun, we are excited to announce that Miso is being acquired by Dijit Media, the makers of NextGuide. Over the last few years, we have innovated, experimented, and pushed forth the vision for the social TV and second screen markets. We think back to introducing experiences like “check-in” to TV, pioneering synchronized “second screen” TV watching, we have been fortunate to work with such a vibrant community to make Miso a definitive brand in the “future of TV” industry. Thank you.

We’re so happy to have found a great home for Miso where our site, app, and community can continue to thrive. Dijit will continue to maintain and operate Miso’s site, our apps, and SideShows. We will be shutting down Quips.

We could never have made it this far without our amazing community. There are a lot of people to be thankful for but it starts with you all – our users, our fans, and our advocates. Thank you for tweeting and being with us from the very beginning. We are excited to see what Dijit does with Miso and continue innovating.

A few days ago, the following question was posed at TVnext, to a panel on the second screen: “Do you think we’re asking too much out of our audience?” The answer, of course, is “no.” TV watchers started using the second screen long before television-specific experiences were being developed. The most important thing is for complementary content to enhance the viewing experience, as opposed to distracting from it. Content that is enhancing to one person may be distracting to the next however, so the following study uses a purely democratic method – observing viewing trends to derive the overall success of SideShow cards, working under the hypothesis that increased views is an indication of enhancing content.

The most apparent trend is the increased views of cards with links in them. The audience takes note of interesting supplemental material and follows up on them when they have the opportunity to delve into it (e.g. waiting for commercials to view a video). The following are the best practices for using cards with links to maximize views, whether you’re making a SideShow as a fan or on behalf of the show itself.

Info = Views

In dramas and more serialized television shows, actor info cards (with a link to IMDb or Wikipedia) are consistently revisited, which causes spikes in card views. In fact, cards like the following examples can increase views by 10%!

Transmedia Comedy

In comedies and more episodic shows, links still cause increased views, but guest star and cast info cards are far less appealing. Instead, the largest spikes in views are caused by links that explain or add to a on-screen joke, or make an entirely new one. The following cards had ~5% more views than its neighbors.

Source Matters

There is an addendum to the previous view trends, however. In both types of shows, the spike in views caused by cards with links is the greatest in the official, network-produced SideShows. It seems that the reputability of the SideShow source makes the links all the more compelling, whether their “official” designation makes them close to canon, or just of perceived higher quality by default. In the examples throughout this article, the cards on the left were provided by the network, and the cards on the right are fan-made – did the links on the cards on the left seem more alluring to you?

This trend is by no means a rule, however. Fan-created SideShows generally experience less of a view bump from links, but with the right lead-in or link text, they can see comparable or superior numbers:

This week’s SideShow Showcase features zombies, a particularly famous bachelor, and a divine entity (we’re an inclusive bunch here at Miso). Let’s get to it!

First up is the Big Man himself, God. God’s got a pretty busy schedule, but on Thursday, he likes to kick his feet up, pull out his iPhone, and enjoy half-hour episodes of his favorite creations. Check out God’s commentary on last week’s Big Bang Theory!

God certainly has a sense of humor. Be sure to check out God’s SideShows for his other favorite show: The Office!

The next SideShow to highlight is Kate’s coverage of The Bachelor. Her quote cards documenting the emotional journey of love are as beautiful and pure as the intentions of the show’s contestants. Maybe that was a bad analogy.

Welcome back Chad to the Showcase. His SideShows for The Walking Deadare easily the most popular SideShows on all of Miso – if you haven’t yet, you should definitely check them out. This week, Chad offered up all of the ethical quandaries and high-pressure decision-making that comes with the Zombie Apocalypse to you, as you watch. Fortunately, you can make life-and-death decisions from the comfort of your couch, but if the day ever comes…you’ll be ready.

Chad also makes SideShows for Archer, so if you’re in to that sort of thing, be sure to investigate them.

That’s it for this week’s Showcase! Are your creative juices flowing yet? Sign up to start making your own SideShows! See you next Friday with some more fun SideShow cards, and until then, happy watching!

Your favorite pretend psychic is back! USA and Miso are teaming up again to bring more to all the Psych-Os out there. Tune in during the supersized mid-season premiere of Psych on Wednesday, February 29 at 10/9c on USA and show off your detective instincts with a Miso SideShow.

Make predictions on the case, display your “psychic” abilities, and share your favorite Gus nicknames with other fans! And be sure to come back each week for another SideShow for Psych on Miso for iPhone.

Are the spirits telling you something? Unlock these heightened badges!

Welcome back to the SideShow Playbook, aspiring Producers! In our previous installment, we shared with you the five fundamental types of content for a successful SideShow, but there’s still lots to cover. In today’s edition of the Playbook, the topic is

Do’s and Don’ts: Tips to delight and mistakes to avoid!

Don’t hold back – Share insider information!

The most resoundingly praised SideShows are full of production info, background context, and behind-the-scenes knowledge. When fans watch an episode of one of their favorite television series, they have an insatiable thirst for details surrounding their show. As such, we can’t emphasize this enough: these “directors’ cut” SideShows can be as rewarding as DVD bonus features, so don’t skimp on all the nitty gritty!

Don’t be shy- Leave some personality on the page!

Whether you’re making a SideShow consisting entirely of facts or entirely of snark, there’s no substitute for charisma. It’s far more fun to talk about TV like you’re in the same living room as your viewers, than as an encyclopedia entry. And if your fellow fans feel similarly about the characters and their actions, you have a chance to match their complex emotions with your card with personality – a very rewarding experience!

Don’t settle- Take the time to find the right moment.

SideShows are designed to be synced with the show, so make sure content appears when it should! The window for card relevance is within five seconds – any later and you’ve missed the beat!

Don’t botch the quote – make sure to get it right!

Using a quote card to capture your favorite moments is a great idea – it’s a fun and easy way for viewers to broadcast their love for the show. But imagine seeing a quote card that jumbles the sharp line you just heard on your TV – it totally defeats the purpose! It’s a more common mistake than you would think, so be sure to get the quote correct!

Don’t stray too far with your links- keep it relevant!

SideShows are great for sharing relevant information and links, but don’t go overboard! Remember that your audience is watching a show, so don’t forget to ask yourself “would I click this link?” before you include it.

Don’t repeat images- keep your SideShow fresh with a good variety!

It’s often difficult to find the perfect image for your SideShow card, because you have to match the show’s precise tone in an image. Sometimes it seems appropriate to skip the search and use the same image twice – but what are the odds that it is the perfect image for two moments? There are times when it works, but as a general rule, repeat images feel lazy and are a negative experience for the viewer.

Ready to create your own SideShow channel?Sign-up here to get started!

The season finale of White Collar is going out with an even bigger bang! For the first time ever, four superfans, Mary, Shannon, Chie and Joshua, will be partnering with Miso & USA to be a part of the official White Collar SideShow. They’ve chosen their all-time favorite White Collar scenes, and will be sharing them with other fans!

What makes you a Character?

Mary: My friends often say I’m like a walking encyclopedia or iPhone as I can usually tell the best places for Happy Hour or general information, trivia about things, or recall our conversations from years past.

Chie: I am a character with many hats – a mom, wife, daughter, sister and a friend.

Shannon: I’m organized and for some reason I have a crush on a certain ex-con….and it’s not Neal….(shout out to Mozzie!)

Joshua: My quirky sense of humor and I always have a smile on my face

Don’t forget to grab a front seat to all the action with Peter, Neal, Mozzie and the rest of the gang on Tuesday, February 28th at 10pm E/P with the White Collar SideShow on Miso for iPhone and relive your favorite moments of the show with your fellow fans!

It’s Hollywood’s time to shine with the 84th Academy Awards! Take part in the Hyundai and Miso viewing party as we cover the glitzy red carpet event, nominations, big Oscar wins and more!

With Moneyball, The Help, and The Tree of Life as this year’s biggest contenders, who will come home with the most Oscars? What movie will take Best Picture? Will rookie Rooney Mara’s performance for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo win over veteran Meryl Streep for Best Actress? Discuss and share your opinions during the live and interactive Hyundai SideShow for Hollywood’s biggest night!

Be sure to tune in to the SideShow from your iPhone before and during the live event to get the latest updates, buzz and commentaries for the Academy Awards this Sunday, February 26 at 4pm PT/ 7pm ET on ABC!

Welcome to another edition of our weekly SideShow Showcase! Where we celebrate the abundance of creative second screen experiences being made by television fans like you, using our Miso SideShow platform.

To start off, we wanted to highlight some of the submissions we have received for the Game of Thrones SideShow Challenge! Check out a selection of cards from our numerous entries:

Remember, it’s not to late to accept the Challenge and earn the chance to earn the title of Hedge Knight or the more lucrative Sworn Sword! Head over to our Game of Thrones Challenge page to get started!

The next SideShow we have to showcase is for this past weekend’s Saturday Night Live from dinoray. Dino’s SideShow had it all, including the best jokes, SNL History, and additional pop culture trivia!

For our last SideShow this week, we have chosen to highlight Karma’s SideShow for everyone’s favorite love story told in reverse, How I Met Your Mother.

This has been a pretty heavy season for the gang, but Barney’s shenanigans has of course been up to the same shenanigans. Karma links to a hilarious gif, recounts awesome quotes, and even provides a sense of clarity for Ted and his future wife.

That’s it for this week’s Showcase. Think you have what it takes to be featured here? Sign up to make your own SideShows! We’ll be here, same time, same place, but until then… Peace, love, and TV!

Welcome to this week’s SideShow Showcase, where we celebrate the abundance of creative second screen experiences being made by television fans like you, using our Miso SideShow platform.

Our first SideShow of note is for the latest episode of American Idol. Michael DeLisi tracked down all the songs being covered, provided links to them on iTunes, and even found the Twitter accounts for the contestants who didn’t make the cut! We’re sure they appreciate the support.

Change the way you watch Idol – get all the information you’ve been wondering about pushed right to your phone.

Back before YouTube, the only way to get your short silly home video fix was America’s Funniest Home Videos. After 22 years, AFV is still going strong, and with diamondIan’s SideShow, you can head over to YouTube for more of the best funny home videos.

Sure, Two and a Half Menhasn’t been the same since Ashton Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen, but that doesn’t mean that the most talked about show of the year has gotten less interesting. Matthew Simon explains some of the subtle nuances of the episode “The Duchess of Dull-in-Sack.”

Keep checking in for the scoop on the best second screen experiences around! If you think you have some knowledge to share, sign up here to start creating SideShows. Happy watching!